Locking key for brake shoes



Nov. 27 1923. 1,475,281

s. 'A. c E v ooooooo oooooooooooooo ES Original Fi l e d J u l y l l l 9 21 Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,475,281 PATENT OFFICE.

sErH A. CRONE, or EAST ORANGE, NEVJ JERSEY.

LOCKIISI'Gr KEY FOR BRAKE SHOES.

Application filed July 11, 1921, Serial No. 483,651. Renewed May 19, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH A. CRoNE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Keys for Brake Shoes, 'of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in railway-car brakes, and it pertains more particularly to novel keys for locking the brake-shoes to the brake-heads in such manner as to prevent the accidental loss of the keys due to the jarring action of a train and more especially when a car is inverted to discharge its load. The locking keys of my invention are applicable to brake heads and shoes of standard construction and do not call for or necessitate any change in the known and commonly used brake heads and shoes but have been specially designed for use therewith. The locking keys of my invention while safe against accidental loss from the brake head and shoes, may nevertheless be withdrawn to permit the detachment of a worn shoe and its replacement by a new shoe. 7

The locking keys of my invention is in one integral piece and of the usual standard curved shape and general proportions and has formed in its lower portion, to pass below the usual attaching lug on the brake shoe, a downwardly extending tongue slit and bent outwardly, in its lower part, from the material of the key and affording a curved cam-like projection which may be driven through the attaching lugs on the head and shoe and which, when the key is in position, will resist outward movement of the key through said lugs to such degree that the key will not lose its position due to the jarring of a train or the inversion'of a car, but which will yield to definitely applied force intended to detach the key from the brake head and shoe. The aforesaid tongue is formed by slitting the key vertically along lines parallel with its sides and then slitting the key transversely to connect the lower ends of the vertical slits, thus forming a tongue like section of the key which projects downwardly and is integral at its upper end with the body of the key. The tongue thus formed is bowed outwardly at its lower portion and along its length is preferably reduced in thickness to facilitate the yielding of the same, while the lower end of the tongue remains freely confined within the opening formed in the key and is disposed to prevent the tongue at its lower end from interfering with the due positioning of the key for locking the brake head and shoe together. I preferably bow the locking tongue'outwardly from the convex side of the key and arrange the same to engage the lower edge of the shoe lug at anytime when it may be desired to prevent the key from accidentally losing its position.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in central vertical section, through a brake shoe head, brake shoe and locking key embodying my invention, the several parts being shown in their normal operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the locking key detached from the brake head, and

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the locking key.

In the drawings, 10 designates the brake head, 11 the brake-shoe, and 12 the locking key of my invention, said head having the usual attaching lugs 13, 14 and said shoe having an attaching lug 15 adapted to pass between the head-lugs 18, 14:, as usual, and formed with the usual slot 16 through which the key 12 passes. are of standard construction and hence require no specific description. The key 12 is also of standard construction with the exception of the features thereof embodying my invention. The key 12 passes downwardly behind the lugs 13, 14 and through ends of the slits 18. The tongue 17 com mences at a point about the lower edge of the shoe-lug 15 and thence extends clownwardly to such distance as may be requisite, and said tongue 17 in its lower portion or near its free'end is bowed outwardly from the convex face of the key to form a curved The head 10 and shoe l1 7 camdike projection 20, while the lower extremity ofthe tongue 17 remains confined within the opening 23 formed in the key by the production of the tongue therefrom. The tongue 17 is reduced in thickness, at one face thereof, from that of the key itself, as at 21, this reduction of the thickness of the tongue commencing near the upper end and at one face thereof and continuing downwardly, the lower end of the tongue being materially thinned, as at 22. The amount of reduction in the thickness of the tongue 17 may be seen on reference to Fig. 2 wherein it will be observed that the tongue 17 is materially less in thickness than the adjacent body portion of the key, whereby the opening 23 formed in the body of the key is caused to afford adequate space within which the tongue 17 may be flexed during the application of the key to its operative position and its withdrawal therefrom. The reduction in thickness at the lower end of the tongue 17, as at 22, leaves sufficient space within the opening 23 for the lower end of the tongue, on the inward flexing of the tongue, to move within the opening 23 without being projected from the concave side of the key. The tongue 17 is a spring tongue and the projection 20 is preferably at the lower end portion of the tongue or in the position in which 1 illustrate the same in Figs. 1 and 2. The key 12 is therefore in one integral piece, as usual, and, according to my invention, is formed with the spring tongue17 cut and fashioned from the body thereof, and the spring tongue 17 lies within the opening 23, except at the curved projection 20 which normally projects from the convex side of the key in position to engage the lower edge of the shoe-lug 15 on any movement of the key to become separated from the brake-head and brake-shoe. The projection 20 is forced into the opening 23 by its engagement with the shoe-lug during the application of the key to and its removal from operative position.

The spring tongue 17 is of special construction, being fashioned from the body of the key 12 and reduced in thickness below the thickness of that portion of the key from which it is formed so as to provide for its resiliency and leave an opening 28 in the key of sufficient depth to permit the movement therein of the tongue without the lower extremity of the tongue projecting beyond the body of the key to a position in which it, might, for illustration, strike the upper edge of a lug on the introduction of the key to its operative position.

In the employment of the invention the shoe 11 is applied to the head 10 in the usual manner and the key 12 is then driven downwardly between the shoe and head and through the attaching lug 15 on the shoe. On applying the key 12 to position, the

projection 20 on the tongue 17 will strike the upper edge of the lug 15 and normally tend to arrest the key. The tongue 17 is, however, sufliciently yielding to' permit the key to be driven downwardly in opposition to the resistance offered by the projection 20, said projection thenbeing forced into the opening 23 of the key and passing downwardly through the lug 15. After the key has been introduced to a sufiicient BX- tent to carry the projection 20 below the shoe lug 15, said projection springs outwardly again to its normal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On any movement of the key 12 from its position and tending to the withdrawal or detachment of the key. the projection 20 is so positioned that it will engage the lower edge of the shoe-lug 15 and arrest the key, thereby preventing the accidental loss of the key. V7 hen it is desired to withdraw the key 12 for the removal of a worn shoe 11 and its replacement by a new shoe, or for any other reason, the key 12 will be moved upwardly. with suiiicient force, as by a blow from a hammer, to flex the spring tongue 17 inwardly into the opening 28 and permit the projection 20 to pass through the opening 16 in the lug 15. The projection 20 yieldingly resists the movement of the key 12 to its operative position and also yieldingly resists the movement of said key from between the brakehead and brake-shoe. The projection 20 is curved on its upper and lower surfaces and hence while resisting the movement of the key 12 through the shoe-lug 15 in both directions, permits underthe application of proper force, the insertion of the key to position and its withdrawal therefrom. The purpose of the projection 20 is to yieldingly lock the key 12 against accidental loss either from the jarring of the train or when a carmay be inverted for dumping its load.

I do not regard the specifie location of the tongue 17 as important so long as the projection 20 passes below the shoe-lug 15. 1 therefore speak of the tongue 17 asin a lower portion of the key '12 to distinguish its location from being, for illustration, at the upper end of the key. The most effective position for the tongue 17 is that I illustrate in the drawings, which shows the tongue in a lower portion of a key or to pass mainly below the shoe-lug 15. l Vheuever the material of the shoe permits the tongue 17 will be cut and formed there from, as hereinbefore described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having, ata point to passbelow the brake-shoe lug, a downwardly depending 7 yond the convex face of the key" toyieldingly resist the passage of the key through said lug.

2. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having, at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a downwardly depending tongue slit from the body of the key and bowed outwardly in its lower portion be yond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key through said lug, said tongue at its upper end being integral with the body of the key and at its lower free end confined within the opening formed in the key by the production of said tongue therefrom.

3. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having, at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a downwardly depending tongue slit from the body of the key and bowed outwardly in its lower portion beyond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key through said lug, said tongue along its upper portion being reduced beyond its initial thickness to facilitate its yielding action.

4. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having, at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a downwardly depending tongue slit from the body of the key and bowed outwardly in its lower portion beyond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key through said lug, said tongue at its upper end being integral with the body of the key and at its lower end being of reduced thickness and confined within the opening formed in the key by the production of said tongue therefrom. 1

5. A brakeshoe key of the usual bowed shape having, at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a longitudinal tongue slit from between the sides thereof and bowed outwardly beyond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key in both directions through said lug.

6. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a longitudinal tongue slit from between the sides thereof and'bowed outwardly beyond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key in both directions through said lug, the free end of the tongue being disposed within the opening formed in the key by the production of the tongue therefrom.

7. A brake-shoe key having, at a point to pass below the brake-shoe lug, a longitudinal tongue slit from between the sides thereof and bowed outwardly beyond the convex face of the key to yieldingly resist the passage of the key in both directions through said lug, the free end of the tongue being disposed within the opening formed in the key by the production of the tongue therefrom and the said tongue being reduced in thickness from one side thereof so that it may be flexed within said opening when its bowed portion is clearing said lug.

8. A brake-shoe key having a longitudinal locking tongue slit from between its side edges and bowed outwardly near its free end beyond the face ofthe key to form a curved locking projection, said tongue being integral with the body of the key and reduced in thickness from one side thereof so that it may be flexed within the opening formed in the key by the production of the tongue therefrom when the key is applied to and removed from operative position and its movement is resisted at said projection.

9. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having in a lower portion thereof an opening and a downwardly depending spring tongue in said opening rigidly held at its upper end and having near its free end an outwardly projecting curved cam like portion extending beyond the face of the key to pass below the shoe-lug and to be moved into said openin by the shoe-lug on the application of the key to position and its withdrawal therefrom.

10. A brake-shoe key of the usual bowed shape having in a lower portion thereof an opening and having therein a locking tongue bowed outwardly near its free end beyond the face of the key to form a curved locking projection to pass below the shoe-lug and to be moved into said opening by the shoe-lug on the application of the key to position and its withdrawal therefrom.

11.. A curved brake-shoe key having'its lower portion above its solid lower end slit vertically to form an elongated integral strip or tongue, an intermediate portion of which is bowed outwardly beyond the face of the key to form a curved projecting hump to resist accidental loss of the key from the brake-head and shoe.

12. A curved brake-shoe key adapted to standard brake-shoe heads and brake-shoes having its lower portion above its solid lower end slit vertically to form an elongated vertical spring tongue, a transverse portion of which is bowed outwardly beyond the face of the key to form a curved projectin hump to resist accidental loss of the key rrorn the brake-head and shoe, said tongue being free below its upper end, which is integral with the key, and at its lower end norma ly lying within the confines of the key at the sides of the tongue.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7th day of July, A. D. 1921.

' SETH A. CRONE. 

